Wall-paper applicator



March 3 R. A. CARTER WALL PAPER APPLICATOR Filed May 9, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet l March 24, 1931. R, A CARTER 1,797,854

WALL PAPER APPLICATOR Filed May 9, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l Q 2 15 05672 JZ Gaffer Q N W F MW March 24, R CARTER WALL PAPER APPLICATOR a Sheets -Sheet 3 Filed May 9, 1930 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 PATENTVYOFFICE ROBERT A. CARTER OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS WALL-PAPER ArrLIcA'roR Application filed May'9, 1930. Serial No- 450,973.*

My invention relates to wall-paper applicators and includes among its objects and advantages the provision of an improved ap paratus for applying wall paper.

5 The time honored routine in applying wall paper to a room is to install in the room a pair of trestles and siX foot trimming boards or a large table on which the skilled workmen can spread out strips of dry paper an dcover them with paste, one at a time. After a strip 1' s thoroughl moistened with paste,he folds it end for end several times. After getting the edges of the folded strip exactly even, he trims, with a straight edgeand knife, one edge if the paper is to be lapped, and both edgesif the paper is to be butted. Intrim'ming this second edge lies the great danger of spoiling his work as he must pick up the entire pasted mass and swing it completely around in a manner awkward at best. Then, again adjusting his paper by evening the edges as best he can, which is'no easy matter since the pastesoaked paper invariably slides awry in swinging it around, he trims the other edge. The

strip can now be transferred to the wall where it is applied a little at a time and simultaneously unfolded. The procedure requires no little skill and exertion on the part of the workman and is, relatively speaking, slow.

so For the best class of work it isnecessary to have the edges of the strips hung in abutment, and only extreme skill and care makes it possible to trim the strips and apply them with such accuracy as to secure an abutting oint that is practically imperceptible to the casual glance.

v In attempting to devise a simpler and more effective mode of application, I have endeavored to apply the paper by drawing it from a rolled strip past an instrumentality for applying paste to it, and then ontoa wall surface, simultaneously trimming the edges of the strip either before or after the application 7 of thepaste. In working with paper of the 5 quality employed for wall covering, I'have encountered serious difficulty in the foregoing procedure, and proved that a roll of wall paper cannot be put into a tool or device and trimmed, pasted and applied to the wall in the one operation because:

First, theremust be tension on the paper at the point of-cutting in order to keep the paper straight and taut for trimming. The strength of the strip after the paste is on it is hardly adequate to pull it past the paste-applying means and the cutting means, and ordinary cutting means can hardly work well on dry paper under such slight tension, and will not work at all on the wet paper. I have found it is absolutely impossible to successfully trim wall paper after it has become wet withpaste, except in the old fashioned way on a fiat surface with a straight edge and trimmingknife. 1

Second, drawin'gflit over a paste roller after it has been trimmed creates an uneven surface of the paste on the roller at both edges of the paper; in other words, the paste at the edges of the paper track grows higher and higher and is bound to slide over and smear up the face of the'wall paper at its edges, thereby ruining it. (Wall paper must be hung with a spongy paste. It cannot be hung with a thin liquid.)

Having abandoned attempts along the line indicated, I proceed, according to the present invention, to cover the wall itself with paste and then, with the apparatus disclosed hereinafter, to apply dry paper to the wet wall, trimming both edges of the strip as it leaves the roll, and cutting the strip off at the bottom. I'make the first application sub; stantially in final position, and then a few seconds later, after contact with the wall has moistened the paper, I loosen and adjustit to exact registry'with adjacent strips and smooth down the edges manually.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an end elevation of an applicator in position to apply paper to a vertical wall. Fig. 2 is 10 on a rod seem-16a by heads 2i and 26f a plan view of the same device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 8-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial end elevation of the end opposite to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail section on line 55 of Fig. 3, showing the knife mounting. Fig. 6 is a detail section on line 66 of Fig. 2, showing the edge guides on the applying plate, and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section as on line 77 of Fig. 2, showing the roll support.

The embodiment of apparatus selected for illustration of the invention c oniprises a roll holder 10in the form of a cylindrical container slit at 12 to permit a strip of paper-to be withdrawn from the-rolljtfl. The strip then passes over a curved trimming plate 16 and over a curved applying plate 1.8,..andais pressed by the edge of the plate 18 or by a smoothing brush in the hands of the operat gains h all urface 20- e t l ei supp rted in d hehe e One. of theheads 2 L may be adjustably fastened in place by a set screw 28, andthe other head 26 may be shoved 'into the holder10 far enough to prevent any longitudinal shifting of the rolllfh' and there clamped in position.

F or convenience in inserting a roll and getting the end of the strip out pastthe apyi g Plat 18 in h P s ti n 9 F g-.3, I preterto let the slot 12 extend out at one end of the holder 10. The resulti gflegribih ity makes it easy to clamp the head 26 place by pressing the leaf spring 3 O to flatten it enough to hook over the catch 32, after which the release of themanual pressure on the spring will cause it to draw the portions on opposite sides of the slot 12 torcibly togethcr and clamp the head iirn lyin place. I prefer to proyifde windows such in the walls of the holder 10sothattheoperator IHHY OlJSGIYE the size and condition of the roll 14E as work proceeds.

The trimming plate 16 is attached at one edge to thehol'der 10, as at 36, and guides the paper over its convex face. The knives 38 are ch mped on the knife supports do by clamping plates 42 and screws i4. .1 provide rubber washers 43 betweenthe plateetQ and,

the heads of the screws. This makes it possible to clamp the knife tightly enough to cut the paper without slipping, while at the same time t e eper er s ble o hif and a ju it readily without loosening the screws.

P Even during cutting the resilience of this mounting lets the paper slide up onthe knife edge and reduces tearing.

The knife supports are mounted for longitudinal adjustment to ge pfieciselythe right width for the strip by means of clamping screws 46 passing through longitudinal elongated slots 4;8-in thesupports. I have illustrated a reinforcement plate 50 riveted to trimming plate 16 to provide additional metal for the screw threads of the screws 46.

.rod 22. I prefer to insert the roll by first cutting or tearing ofi the corners of the paper at a 45 angle and leaving a central tip projecting, after which the roll may he slipped into position. Vith this tip unrolled and projecting through the slot 12, it is easily accessible and can be passed on through the-clearance between the trimming plate 16 and theapplying plate 18 and around under theapplying plate 18 ready for operation. The head 26 is then placed in position, the clamp 30 snapped into place, and the device is ready for use. i

To assist in guiding the paper straight and true, I provide adjustable edge guides 52, each comprising a U-shaped hook portion extending through a slot 54 near the end of the applying plate'18. The adjustable support for the edge guide comprises the fastening screws 56 passing through elongated slots 58 in the portion of the guidelocated on the opposite side from the paper.

At the loading endI brace and apply the plates 16 and 18 by aninterconnecting strip 60 and a straight brace 62 running back to the holder 10'from the outer end of the strip 60. I also run a brace'64 from the inner end of the strip fiO to. the holder 10, and this brace is shown curved outwardly away from the plane of the plate 16 to aflord a clearance for inserting the' paper. Atthe other end of the device 1 employ a duplicate strip 60 and brace 62. this end the unslotted portion of the holder 10 suliiciently rigid so that another straight brace 66 provides ample support. Cent-rallyinfront of the holder 10 I provide the carrying and operating handle 68 with end braces 70 extending overto approximately opposite points on the holder 10. In preparing for use ofthe ap iaratus disclosed, the roll'is inserted as above described, and the knives 38 adjusted with respect to the clamping plate 42 'topresent clean sharp surfaces to the paper. Thereafter, by means of set screws 4:6, the line of severance along eachedge of the strip may be set with adequate precision, the abutment of-the roll 14: with the head 24 determining accurately the position otthe roll.

The tapered tipcut on the rollbefore inserting it in place is now drawn past the plate 18 and tornofi' across the outer edge 72 of the plate, leaving a square end on the strip. Paste isapplied to a suflicient wall area to receive two strips or so, and the end of the strip adjacent the edge 72 may be placed against the wall at one end of thearea to be covered by the first strip. Referring to Fig. 1, the position of the device at the time with respect to the wall may be approximately that of Fig. 1, or the holder 10 may be tipped down almost into contact with the wall. l Vith the device in any position similar to Fig. 1, movement of the device to the other end of the area to be covered will draw out a strip of paper which can be gently pressed against the wet wall with asmoothing brush or otherwise. When the end of the area to be covered is reached, the edge of the plate 18 is pulled to the point where the paper should be severed. By tipping the device up considerably beyond the position of Fig. 1 and canting it at a slight angle, a quick movement will tear the end of the strip straight across at the point 7 2.

The applicator itself has now performed its functions and may be laid aside. The operator may take hold of the lower end of the applied strip and draw most of it from the wall and smooth it back into contact with the wall, at the same time adjusting the edge of the strip into precise registry with the edge of an adjacent strip. It is preferable to employ a smoothing brush materially shorter than the width of the strip.

All this smoothing and adjusting operation may be done by a reasonably skilled workman in almost less time than it takes time to describe it. The applicator may now be picked up again and a second strip applied.

Repetition of the procedure outlined is all that is necessary to complete the entire papering operation. Joints with Windows, door openings, etc., are made by pulling the strip down sufficiently to cover the part of wall pasted and then removing applicator and slicing out with razor blade or trimming knife the superfluous portion of paper which remains unpasted.

It will be obvious that paper may be applied in this way to a ceiling with substantially the same convenience with which it may be applied to a vertical wall, with the parts in positions accurately represented by Fig. l rotated in a clockwise direction to bring the wall 20 at the top of the figure.

The procedure I have outlined is. simple, and perfect work can be effected because both edges are trimmed straight and even with one long continuous cut and the paper immediately applied to the paste on the wall where it belongs, leaving no slightly lapped edges, referred to by the trade as wire edges, or spaces between the edges, referred to by the trade as holidays. Wire edges are common in present day paper hanging, and lapped wall paper is ugly and uncalled for.

Without further elaboration, the "foregoing will so fully explain my invention that others may, by applying knowledge current at the time of application, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

I I claim:

1. An applicator'for wall paper, compris l ing a slottedroll holder, a trimming plate positioned toiguide a strip of paper drawn throughsaid slot, adjustable knives mounted near the ends of said trimming plate to trim the edges of said strip, and an applying plate positioned to receive the paper after it leavesfsaid trimming plate and guidelsaid paper into contact with a wall surface.

2.:An applicator for wallpaper, comprising a slotted roll holder, a curved trimming plate positionedto guide a strip of paper drawn through said slot over its convex face, knives mounted'near the ends of said trimming plate to trim the edges of said strip, and a curved applying plate positioned to receive the paper after it leaves said trimming plate and guide said paper into contact with a wall surface. I

3. An applicator for wall paper, comprising a slotted roll holder, a curved trimming 7 plate positioned to guide a strip of paper drawn through said slot over its convex face, knives mounted near the ends of said trimming plate to trim the edges of said strip, and a curved applying plate positioned to receive the paper after it leaves said trimming plate and guide said paper over the convex face thereof, said trimming and applying plates having their convex faces facing in opposite directions.

4. An applicator for wall paper, comprising a slotted roll holder, a curved plate means positioned to guide a strip of paper drawn through said slot over a convex face and into contact with a wall surface, and knives mounted on said plate means to trim the edges of said strip after it leaves the roll and is under tension to hold it straight but before it engages the wall.

5. An applicator for wall paper comprising a slotted roll holder, a curved trimming plate positioned to guide a strip of paper drawn through said slot over its convex face, adjustable knives mounted near the ends of said trimming plate to trim the edges of said strip, a curved applying plate positioned to receive the paper after it leaves said trimming plate and guide said paperover the convex face thereof, said trimming and applying plates having their convex faces facing in opposite directions, and adjustable edge guides carried by said applying plate,

the edge of said applying plate being sharp for severing the strip, said roll holderhaving cut away portions to permit the operator to observe the roll inside.

6. An applicator for wall paper, comprising a slotted roll holder, a curved trimming plate positioned to guide a strip of paper drawn through said slot over its convex face, adjustable knives mounted near the ends of said trimming plate to trim the edges of said strip, a curved applying plate positioned to receive the paper after it leaves said trimmin'giplate' and guide saviol paper over the convex face thereof sa'id' trimming and= applying plates having their onveX faces facing in opposite directions,- and adjustable edge guides carried by-said applying late, the edge of said applying plate being, sharp for severingthe-str-ip, said r011 holderliav- 7 ing cut away portions to permit the operatorto observe the ro11'inside,;sa,id slot being open at one end' to permit insertion of a roll of paper in partially unrolled condition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature.

ROBERT A. CARTER. 

